Another day, another rejection letter...

...but at least this time I actually got one, rather than the interminable silence that is the norm. I'm trying to get work experience, just a week's worth, in March next year, but noone seems willing to help.

Today's letter was from Private Eye - my kind of publication and something i've read for years. It's the sort of paper/mag that I would like to work for in the long run. I like the stand they take, and that they are (relatively) fearless. I wrote Ian Hislop a letter sending back a cheque i'd received for a contribution I'd made to their pages, suggesting that I could make a bigger contribution by doing a week with them. I made it as light hearted as I could, saying that my tea making skills alone were worth more than a tenner, and enclosed an article that i'd written for the local paper. Got a one-liner back saying that they don't do work experience, but at least they sent the cheque back! Will cash it now, to fund the postage costs for the next round of begging letters.

What I don't understand is why the print journalism industry is so unwilling to assist aspiring journalists. We're constantly being told that online journalism is the way of the future, so I fail to grasp why the traditional newspapers wouldn't want to encourage people to their field. It's not as if most of these places are awash with staff - most of them are run on a shoestring and I'm sure they could do with an extra pair of hands even if it's just to make the tea, open the post and wade through press releases. Come on, editors, give us a chance.